Healing and Hunger
by LightBlueRoses
Summary: Primrose Everdeen never thought she would see the day that her sister was reaped. She knew Katniss had her name in there 20 times, but Katniss couldn't be reaped! When she bravely volunteers, Prim is thrust into a world that she has never seen before. While trying to deal with the curel games, Prim finds that friendships can form under even the most horrifying circumstances...
1. Chapter 1

_**Healing and Hunger**_

_Chapter 1_

I didn't mean to leave Katniss, but I wanted to comfort mom. I had seen mom, sweating and tossing around, and it felt wrong to just leave her there, so I slipped into her bed. Soon after, mom calmed down.

Before I went to sleep with mom, of course, I left Katniss a nice surprise of goat cheese wrapped in fresh basil leaves. I had been growing a basil plant, and the leaves were just perfect now. Lady-my goat-had been extra quiet when I milked her the night before, so I could make the cheese. If it wasn't for Lady, it would cost a fortune to buy even just the smallest amount of cheese.

_It's not fair, _I thought to myself as I snuggled closer to mom, _In the Capitol, I bet they could get a million tons of cheese for less than a penny. But here...well, no use in complaining. _

My eyelids closed, and soon I was fast asleep. I wasn't woken until mom gently shook me awake, looking down on me sadly.

"Good morning." She greeted me, standing up. Her blond hair was a mess, all in tangles and curls.

I smiled. "Morning, mom. It is a nice day out, isn't it?"

In truth, the day seemed a bit gray, but I tried not to let that show. Mom's smile faltered, and suddenly, I realized what day it was.

"O-of course, there's been better weather." I said quickly, fear slowly creeping through me. It was like all my fears were suddenly filling me up, like a ballon.

Because today was one of the most feared days in all of District 12. It was a day where two children-one boy and one girl-would be picked to fight to the death. And since there are 12 district in Panem(excluding the oh-so-grand Capitol, of course), that means only one out of 24 kids could survive.

Sounds horrible, right?

Well, the most shocking thing is that it's all televised on the TV. To satisfy some sort of sick, evil desire for entertainment, the Capitol actually watches innocent kids fight to the death. The worst part is that, since I'm now 12 years old, I can get reaped, or chosen for these sick games.

Yes, 12 year olds can get reaped. It's only when you turn 19, you're safe from those sick games. My name is only in that reaping bowl once, but Katniss?  
_Oh, she probably has her name in there dozens of times! I wish they didn't offer tessera, then maybe she wouldn't be tricked into getting us more oil and grain...I should have put my name in there, instead. Oh, but then Katniss would get mad, and I couldn't do that to mom. _I pondered as I got dressed into a simple white blouse and gray skirt. The blouse had a few brown stains on its sleeves, but still, it was much nicer than some of my other clothes.

Mom, when she emerged from the closet, was dressed in a gray dress with white flowers on it. I smiled.

"That's a nice dress." I commented, trying to lighten the mood. Mom nodded, smiling slightly. She went to the stove and cooked cornmeal inside a pot. Meanwhile, I went to check on Lady. "Hi Lady!" I greeted the goat, petting her. Soon, I had a pail placed underneath her, and I was milking her.

_Who knows, _a part of me thought, _It could be the last time you get to-_

_NO!, _I gulped a bit, my hands starting to tremble, _Don't think like that. Thinking like that gets you nowhere. You won't get reaped, neither will Katniss, or Gale, or Rory, or anyone! You'll be fine reaped._

"Primrose, breakfast's ready." Mom called out. I nodded, putting Lady back into her pen and carrying the pail back to the table. Mom spooned the cooked cornmeal into a tin bowl, handing the bowl to me. I nodded in thanks, and sat down to eat. The milk was poured into two cups, with some milk left over for Katniss, and if there was still any left, to sell.

We ate in silence. There was nothing to say, really. What could you say on a day like this?

Finally, Katniss came home. She smiled when she saw me. "Hey little duck, you're looking beautiful today." She greeted me. I blushed. Almost instinctively, I went to tuck in the back of my blouse.

"You-you look better Katniss..." I muttered. It was true. While I had dull blue eyes and plain blonde hair, Katniss had beautiful gray eyes and chocolate colored hair. And while I was bony and almost overly-thin, Katniss had a full figure. We looked like polar opposites from each other, and honestly, we acted like polar opposites, too.

"Oh no no, Prim, you're beautiful. I wish I could look half as good as you." Katniss ran her hand through my hair. I blushed again, and I saw mom coming over, with two hair ribbons. Mom and Katniss briefly exchanged looks, with Katniss slightly glaring at mom.

"The bathing bin is in the bedroom." Mom stated. Katniss nodded, walking into the bedroom. I sighed, and waited for Katniss to be done. In the mean time, I petted Buttercup, trying to calm him down. Even he could tell something was wrong, but he started meowing as soon as I petted him. "Primrose." Mom called out, and I walked over, sitting down in a stool.

She braided my hair carefully. When she was done, I sat down and nervously waited for Katniss to get dressed.

About 20 minutes passed before Katniss emerged from the room, wearing a very pretty blue dress. Mom did her hair, putting it in a bun, as a silence filling our house.

All too suddenly, the horrifying sound of bells rang throughout the streets. Katniss let out a breath.

"Well little duck," she mumbled, "Time to go."

Her hand grabbed mine, and together, we walked out of the house and into the Seam.

The Seam was a sort of neighborhood for District 12's poorest residents. I looked so out of place here because most of the residents here had distinct gray eyes and olive skin. Mom came from the Merchent's area of District 12, where blond hair is more common then brunette hair. Katniss sometimes wondered why mom would give up such a comfortable life to live in the Seam, but I understood. True love can cause people to give up everything just for their partner.

When we finally reached the town square, it was already very crowded. Katniss pushed through the crowd, but as we neared the check in station, I felt myself starting to cry. My hands were trembling-no, my whole body was trembling.

"K-Katniss..." I stuttered, and Katniss pulled me into a hug.

"Shh, shh," she cooed, "Prim, your name is only in there once. You wont get picked."

A peacekeeper cleared his throat, meaning that we had to hurry up. As I walked to register, Katniss called out.

"It'll only hurt a little, Prim!" She cried out, before getting caught up in the crowd of kids. I approached a young looked peacekeeper, who was holding a strange, gun-like device with a small needle on the top.

"Hold out your finger." She commanded. I did so, and winced slightly when she pricked it. I immedietly withdrew my hand. "12 year old girls go to the front left, sweetie."

I nodded, walking up the row of kids, finally being let into a swarm of 12 year olds. I recognized some of the girls from school. Suddenly, I heard someone yelling my name.

_Was I just reaped!? No, no! I can't-oh, Rory. _I smiled, and waved to him.

Katniss and Gale had always been close. In fact, Gale was almost like a brother to me. Likewise, when Rory(Gale's brother)and I met, we became instant friends. Maybe we weren't best friends, but I still considered him to be a good friend.

He grinned at me, his brown hair sticking up a bit. Likewise, I returned the grin. He winked. I winked. He chuckled. I giggled. The silent conversation continued before the sound of high heels distracted me.

_The reapings are starting..._I realized, horrified.

A strange-looking woman with bright pink hair walked onto the stage, peacekeepers at her every side. Her spring green suit glistened, even though the sun was partially hidden by some clouds. She smiled, her face caked in makeup.

"Welcome, welcome, to the 74th Hunger Games reaping! Now, before we begin, we have a special film brought to you straight from the Capitol! Isn't that exciting?" She tried in vain to excite us. All escorts seemed to try and do that. A giant screen next to her flickered on, and the Capitol film that I had seen several times before started to play.

The film was nothing more than Capitol propaganda, trying to convince us that it was okay that 24 kids had to die. But it wasn't, and no amount of trying to force that it was good would convince me.

Finally, the film ended. The screen went back to showing off different camera of the reapings. The escort smiled, giggling.

"I just love that!" She confessed. She cleared her throat. "Now, the time has come to select one courageous young man and woman for the honor of representing District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games. As usual, ladies first."

I held my breath. _Please don't be me or Katniss, please don't be me or Katniss..._I prayed, closing my eyes. I heard her walk towards the reaping bowl, and then, the sound of shuffling papers. My eyes finally opened, to see her pulling out the slip.

She opened the tiny slip, and in a loud voice, she announced the tribute.

"Katniss Everdeen!" She called out.

_NO! _I thought, too terrified to speak._ Katniss is too-too important! She can't go in!_

Suddenly, an idea sprang into my head. I would have to work quickly, as Katniss was already making her way towards the stage. Her face was blank, trying to mask her emotions.

Almost in slow motion, I tucked in my blouse, slipped under the ropes, and ran infront of Katniss.

"I volunteer."

_**A.N/ So, how did I do? Did I do good with Prim, Katniss, etc.? I tried to make her as in-character as possible. Anyways, I don't own the rights to the Hunger Games, blah blah blah, critique is welcome but flames are not~**_


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Everything went to chaos after I said those words. Katniss started screaming, pleading that she would go, and that I just _couldn't_ go. Mom seemed to be holding in tears, and I saw the escort talking to Mayor Undersee. After a bit, she walked back to the microphone.

"Well, I see no rule breaking, so do come on up, dear!" She said, a few peacekeepers coming towards me.

Katniss grabbed me, pulling me into a hug. "No! I won't let you! She-she's not going!" She yelled, just before peacekeepers pried her off me.

"No rules were broken, madame. I'm afraid the girl has to go up." One of the peacekeepers said. Katniss continued to scream at them until Gale came up and grabbed her. If I wasn't about to be sent to my death, the sight would have been funny; Katniss, who stood at a towering 5' 7'', being carried like a doll by a boy who's just a few inches taller than her. As he carried her away, the peacekeepers ushered me onto the stage. I stumbled onto the stage, taking a spot next to the escort.

She grinned. "What's your name dear?"

"Prim...Primrose Everdeen." I responded. The trembling feeling came back again, and my eyes started to tear up.

"Why, I bet my buttons that was your sister, wasn't it?" The escort sounded far too enthusiastic about the whole situation, but then again, all escorts sounded too enthusiastic.

"...Yes..." I muttered weakly, my legs in danger of giving way. If I knew I was being broadcasted on TV right now, I would have collapsed.

"Oh, how exciting! Along with being the first District 12 volunteer, you're also the second 12 year old to successfully volunteer! Everyone give a warm round of applause for Primrose!" The escort started to clap, but no returned the clapping.

Instead, they all pressed their three middle fingers against their lips and raised their hand up. I knew this sign well, as it was the same sign people used to show their respects for the dead. Of course, sometimes it was used to show thanks, but now I couldn't tell if they were mourning me already or trying to show that I was brave.

I returned the sign, keeping my left hand raised in the air, only putting it down when the escort went to choose a boy. Her hand dove into the bowl, and she quickly pulled out a slip.

"Peeta Mellark!" She called out. From the 16 year old section, a blond haired boy with bright blue eyes walked out. I recognized him. He was the baker's son, and Katniss said he had given her bread. Bread that saved us all from starvation. So, really, I could credit him for saving us.

He walked onto the stage silently, a look of shock on his face. The escort looked at us, and smiled yet again.

"And here we are, our tributes from district 12! Now go one, shake hands you two!" She commanded, and we did so. My hand was limp, and he shook my arm around like rag. When he let go, the escort said, "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor."

As soon as she finished, I felt tears starting to roll down my cheeks. I turned away from the cameras, trying to mask my tears, and the escort pushed us into the Justice Building. The only time I had been in the Justice Building before was when dad died.

Like last time, it was just as grand, and just as grim. A peacekeeper grabbed my arm and guided me into a room, while Peeta was taken to another one. I waited for a few minutes, before Katniss and Gale came bursting into the room.

I started to cry. Katniss hugged me, trying to comfort me, but nothing she said could comfort me.

"I-I'm sorry, you-you're too important! You-you had to t-take care of mom!" I sobbed. Katniss hugged me tighter.

"Prim, no one I know is more able to take care of the family than you. I can take care of myself, but you little duck...just please come home!" Katniss seemed to get more upset at the end, hugging me tighter.

"Katniss," I cried, pulling myself out of the hug, "Please understand mom! When I die-"

"No! You're not going to die!" She yelled.

"Katniss, please...I can't win!" I started to wail again.

Gale cleared his throat, walking towards me. "Prim," he started, "You are the best healer I know. No other tributes will have your healing skills. You will win."

I nodded. "But Katniss, please, if I do die, understand mom! Don't yell at her, for god's sake! Just try to understand! Please, for me?"

Katniss nodded. I knew it would be hard for her if I did...pass away, but I knew that if Katniss at least tried to understand mom, they could recover. A peacekeeper walked into the room, grabbing both Gale and Katniss and dragging them out.

Just before they left for good, Katniss screamed, "Prim, I love y-"

The door slammed shut. Minutes passed before my next visitor came in. Mom walked into the room with a blank expression. When the doors closed, I started sobbing again.

The next five minutes weren't spent talking. No, I couldn't seem to say any words. Neither could mom, apparently. Instead, my time with her was spent with me crying and mom hugging me. When the peacekeeper came to take her away, her eyes started to tear.

"I love you mommy." I whispered as I watched a peacekeeper force her out. Just as the door was about to slam, she started to scream, but the door blocked out any other sound.

Just like that, my loved ones were gone. I knew I wasn't going to win; only three 12 year olds have ever won the games(that's what my teacher said), and they were all trained, so what are the odds that I would win?

I got up to leave. _Perhaps the guards forgot..._I thought, only to find myself running into another visitor. "Sorry!" I apologized, before gasping.

Mayor Undersee and his daughter, Madge, stood in front of me. Mayor Undersee was a tall, balding man. Sure he was the mayor, but he was kind as far as I could tell. He regularly bought strawberries from Katniss, and he even gave me an extra twenty dollars after buying some of my goat cheese.

Madge seemed to be just as kind as her father. She had long blond hair and blue eyes, like me. Katniss and her hung out on occasion. I think, when I was little, she even visited our house, though she never came back. She was very shy from what I saw, and didn't speak much.

"Hello." Mayor Undersee stated.

I couldn't do anything but stare.

"My daughter," he motioned to Madge, "Wanted to give you a gift. Consider it a token, if you will."

Madge held out a golden mockingjay pin.

Mockingjays. I knew mockingjays well, as they were common here in District 12. They were the creation of things called Jabberjays. During the dark days, 74 years ago, Jabberjays were used against the Rebels. Jabberjays could perfectly mimic voices, and when the Capitol won, only male Jabberjays were left. Expecting them to die out, the Capitol released them.

Mocking birds ruined this plan. Jabberjays and mockingjays mated, creating mockingjays.

"Th-thank you." I stuttered, my hand wrapping around the cold pink. It was light in my grasp, and I could feel all the fine details against my finger tips. _This could feed mom and Katniss for months if I could just give it to them..._I thought, but I couldn't find the words to request so.

Before they left, Madge pulled me into a hug. She let go, swiftly turning around to leave.

_That's it..._I realized, _This is the last time they'll see me alive._

The thought terrified me to the core.

. . .

"I know you'll just love it in the Capitol, my dears! You see, in the Capitol, we have all sorts of wonderful things to eat! And-is something wrong Primrose?" The escort, who I learned was named Effie, asked.

"Th-the scent." I replied, crinkling my nose. If this is what a car smelled like, I never wanted to be in one again.

"Why, darling, that's just leather! You'll get used to it!" Effie giggled at the end. I nodded polity, but the overwhelming scent of leather kept on bothering me. Leather normally never bothered me, but then again, I was never really around too much leather at one time.

Peeta was on the other side of the car, staring out of the window. I was a bit glad Effie was sitting in between us, or else it would have been _really_ awkward. The car slowly stopped, right in front of a sleek silver train. The same train that came to pick up last year's tributes, and the ones before, and the ones before.

As we got out, a few reporters rushed to see us. For the most part, though, the crowd was made up of miners and kids in my school holding out the respect sign. I felt bad for Peeta, as we both knew who it was for.

"I'm sorry." I apologized to Peeta as we stepped onto the train.

He raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"I-I stole all the attention away, when I shouldn't of." I said, keeping my eyes on the ground. His fingers gently tilted my head up, so that his blue eyes were staring into mine.

"Primrose, it's okay. What you did was not out of greed...you're the bravest 12 year old I've ever seen!" He replied. I nodded, and Effie pushed us slightly so that we would go. After walking up a few steps, we were in the grand Capitol train.

"Whoa." I mumbled under my breath, my eyes wide. The train was nicer than even the best merchant house(though I'd never been in one). A floral design was etched into the metal walls, and lights were attached almost everywhere. Large windows were alined on each side of me, showing the blurry outside.

I managed to get to the couch before I collapsed, amazed at the grandness of the train. It was almost too much to handle. Just hours before, I had been in a rotting house with torn wallpaper, and now I'm in a train with the finest wall décor.

"There's food over there." Effie pointed towards a silver tray stacked with all sorts of baked goodies. On the bottom of the tray was a large, brown frosted cake with neon sprinkles on top.

"Can I have that cake?" I asked. I remembered my birthday, which was just a month ago. Katniss was able to get mom and I the ingredient for a cake, along with a candle. The cake was the best I ever had, but maybe that's because I hadn't had a cake in over five years.

"Of course. Everything is at your disposable." She said, taking a seat in a chair and nibbling on a cookie. I walked towards the tray, grabbed a plate and a knife, and cut myself a slice. Next, I got myself a fork and scooped up a bit. The inside of the cake was vanilla, like my birthday cake.

When I took my first my bite I nearly spit it out. Not because the cake was bad, of course, but because it was so good.

I swallowed the cake, before taking another bite. This time, I savored the taste a bit more. The cake was certainly sweet, and it tasted extremely rich. The texture was almost like velvet, and the frosting was made from something that I didn't recognize.

"What is this frosting made of?" I asked, grinning. The cake was so good, I just had to have more

"Chocolate. Ever had it?" Peeta tilted his head slightly. He wasn't eating anything, and he almost looked like he was waiting for someone.

I shook my head. Of course I had heard about chocolate, but I had never tasted it before. Now that I knew what it was like, I wanted to get my hands on it.

_Katniss would love it! _I thought to myself as I ate. I frowned suddenly. _Katniss..._

In silence, I continued eating. Effie seemed more than content on typing into a strange, handheld device. Occasionally, I would look up at Peeta, hoping for something to happen.

Something finally did happen when there was a loud groan, and Haymith Abernathy, winner of the 50th Hunger Games, stumbled into the train cart. Like usual, he had a green bottle in his grasp. He looked between Peeta and me, and then locked onto Peeta, just before collapsing.

"Oh!," I cried, rushing to help him, "Are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine, sweetheart..." He slurred as I struggled to lift him up. Peeta came to my aid, easily able to prop Haymitch onto a chair. Haymitch wore nothing but a night robe and boxers, and I could see Effie blushing from embarrassment.

"Haymitch, you have tributes here!" She hissed.

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "Lady please, loosen your corset and have a drink! Relax a bit..." He then puked onto the floor. Luckily, I backed away just before he could puke onto me.

Effie looked disgusted. "I am leaving!" She announced, walking away from the mess. Haymitch groaned again, bits of drool dribbling out of his mouth.

"I can clean him." I offered, but Peeta stepped in.

"No, I'll do it." He volunteered, and was able to drag Haymitch into another cart. I just stood there, confused. I couldn't tell if Peeta was being kind to me, or if he was trying to get on Haymitch's good side.

With nothing else to do, I wandered through the different carts. I discovered a cart with a hot tub in it(I didn't even know what it was until a peacekeeper explained), one with a kitchen, and finally, I reached a bedroom cart.

"This is your bedroom, madame." A peacekeeper called out as I entered the room. The room was painted a muted pink, with gray-blue detailing. A blue bed was in the middle of the room, and a closet was on the other side. I walked towards the closet, slowly opening it.

An array of different dressed caught my eye. I closed the door to my bedroom, locking it, and pulled out a random dress. The dress I had pulled out was dark brown, with red polka dots on it. When I tried it on, it fit perfectly.

For the next few hours, I tried on dresses. Dress after dress was fitted onto my body, all of them my size, until I finally slipped on a pink nightgown dress and put the dresses back. I sighed, and looked at the clock.

_8:05pm...that's late enough. _I yawned, walking to the bed, and slipped under it. I had never been in such a comfortable bed before, not even once. Unlike the beds we had at home, this bed was soft, almost silky smooth. It was like the bed of my dreams...

I snuggled under the covers, secretly hoping that when I woke up, I'd be back in Katniss' arms and being reaped would just be a dream.

. . .

"So, will sleeping beauty here wake up or do I need to pour water on her head?"

I shot up, my eyes wide. In my doorway were Peeta, Effie, and even Haymitch. Effie was now wearing a lavender dress with pink dots all over it, while Peeta had a simple blue shirt and denim pants on. Haymitch was still dressed in the same clothes as yesterday, though I could tell that his bathrobe was clean.

"I-I'm sorry." I apologized, a blush creeping over me. I got out of the bed, even though I yearned to go back into it.

Effie looked like she was going to yell, but seeing me like this made her calm down. "Get dressed. We'll be in the main car, waiting."

I nodded, still blushing, and Peeta and Effie left. Haymitch, however, did not.

"So, sister's Katniss, huh?" He asked, taking a swig from a bottle.

"Yeah..." I said.

"I knew a girl like her once. Was named Maysilee. Looked kinda like your sister, though your sister's a seam chick, eh?" Haymitch laughed, and left. I shut the door, and searched through the closet to find a dress. Finally, I pulled out a shimmery, pink dress. I put it on, and walked out of the car. I walked all the way to the main car, where Peeta was already finishing his breakfast.

"...So, what do I do if the arena's freezing?" He asked.

"Kid, you light a match. But don't make a fire. Careers swarm to kids who make fires, I've seen it with my own eyes." Haymitch responded, ignoring my presence. I took a seat down next to Peeta.

"But wouldn't making a fire be easier? I-I mean, matches don't just appear." I butted into the conversation. I tried to be polite, but I wanted this advice as much as Peeta did.

Haymitch scoffed. "And be killed by the careers? Sure, if that's what you want. That's where sponsors come if. If you were here earlier, I could have told you all about the importance of those airheads."

Effie glared.

"Haymitch sir, please, you're offending Effie..." I meekly whispered.

"I should care why? I'm just putting it as they are, sweetheart. They're idiots who only care about who's the prettiest and who has the most entertaining backstory." Haymitch shrugged, drinking from his bottle again.

My mouth went try. I couldn't disagree with Haymitch, as he was true, but I didn't like how he was just offending Effie like that. Even if Effie was a Capitol person, she didn't deserve being treated like dirt.

As such, I did what came to me first. I slapped the bottle out of Haymitch's hands, causing it to spill all over the floor and break onto it. Glass shards spread across the floor. Haymitch looked surprised.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" I rushed to pick up the glass shards, but Haymitch's laughter stopped me. I looked up from the ground, eyes wide.

"You know, it's funny," he commented, still laughing, "You act like everyone's darling, but you're really just a little spitfire."

"Wh-what?" I asked, confused. _I can't even yell at the cruelest peacekeepers, how am I a spitfire?_

He didn't respond, just continued laughing. A peacekeeper came over with what I thought was a vacuum(I'd never seen anyone use one, but I had seen them in the richer stores), sucking up the glass. I watched in curiosity, my thoughts getting lost as I watched the thing.

Effie tapped my back, and I spun around. She smiled slightly, before walking off. Haymitch had gotten another bottle, taking a swig from it. He looked around, finally pointing to the couch. Peeta and I understood what he meant, so we took a seat together on the couch, while Haymitch sat in a chair to our right.

There was a small _click!_, before the projector turned on. Luckily, a recap of the reapings was going on, with the two hosts, Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith, commenting on each one.

District 1 had a pair of stunning tributes, both volunteers. The girl was very pretty, with emerald eyes and blond hair, while the boy was a bit muscular and had darker blond hair. Honestly, the girl reminded me of myself, though I couldn't tell why. In District 2, a boy with biceps as big as my head volunteered, but the girl was reaped. For once, no one in District 2 volunteered.

"The first time District 2 has had no volunteers in over 50 years!" Caesar commented.

The reapings continued, but there was a surprise in District 4. While the girl had been reaped, the boy-who couldn't had been older than me-volunteered.

"And who are you, little boy?" The escort asked, holding the microphone to his face.

"Poside Alleg." He announced, determination in his eyes. There was the sound of crying, and the cameras cut off to show two older boys begging their brother to step down.

_Too late..._I thought sadly, pitting the boy. In career districts, they think that volunteering is an honor, and the poor boy must had thought that as well.

"Why, that's the second 12 year old to successfully volunteer, the first being the infamous Cleo Marble!" Claudius said, a smile on his lips.

Other than the boy, there were no notable tributes. A fox-like girl in District 5, and a limp boy in District 10. Again, I frowned when the boy was reaped. _It just isn't fair to reap kids like him, _I thought.

In District 11, a large, tough boy was reaped. I gulped, but Peeta held my hand to calm me down. The escort made a little comment about how 'big' he was, and walked to the girl's reaping bowl.

"Rue Petallow!" The escort yelled out. A girl who looked about my age stepped up to the stage. Compared to her partner, she looked weak and tiny. I felt myself relating to the girl, but why I couldn't figure out why.

"Wow, another 12 year old! Why, I don't think we've had this many in a while, eh Claud?" Caesar chuckled. My grip on Peeta's hand tightened, as a frightening thought came to me. One that I didn't want to think about, but couldn't stop.

Not one, not two, but three 12 year olds were going into the Hunger Games. And if one did win, it wouldn't be me.

_**A.N/ **_**In terms of apperances, I'm going with the actors/actresses that played the tributes EXCEPT for Clove. Clove, in this still, will be 5' 8'' and have more muscle. ANYWAYS, I don't own the Hunger Games, blah blah blah, how did I do with all the characters? Hey, were avoxes on the train or no? I couldn't remember...^^;**

**Please review! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three_

When my volunteering was shown, I could already picture the thousands of Capitol people gasping. A 12 year old, volunteering, and in District _12_? It was shocking, and Caesar certainly made that clear. After the reapings, the two started to talk about rumors on what the arena might be.

"According to one source, Crane is planning on going back to our old roots, and making the arena a forest." Claudius said.

"Ah yes, but from Capitol News Network, he's going to make a sky themed arena! It's always so fun to speculate, isn't it Claud?" Caesar laughed, and Haymitch turned the TV off.

"Damn speculations don't help at all. Remember one tribute was so set on thinking the arena was jungle themed, and died when he realized the thing was a field." Haymitch took another drink. Effie looked at some sort of touch screen, and giggled.

"We're almost there!" She cried out, standing up and rushing out of the car. Haymitch stumbled out of the car as well, leaving Peeta and I alone.

Despite what Haymitch said, I turned the television back on. _It won't hurt, _I told myself, _As long as you take it with a grain of salt._

Peeta said nothing, just letting me turn it on. For the next hour, we learned about all the possible arena rumors, sneakpeaks at the tribute outfits(what was shown was black combat boots), and more commentary about the tributes. I learned that the boy from District 2 was related to the first 12 year old volunteer(or, as Caesar stressed, the first one to _successfully _volunteer), and that the girl from 5 was a child prodigy.

_It's not right, such a genius shouldn't be forced into the games, _I frowned. Before we could watch anymore, we entered a dark tunnel, before pulling up at a giant, white, sparkling train station.

"Oh we're here!" Effie cried, walking back into the car. She was now wearing a purple wig and a neon green dress, complete with extremely tall high heels. I was amazed she could even walk in those shoes.

Peeta grabbed my hand, and pulled me to the window. He started to wave, and I followed the motion, smiling my best smile at the cheering crowds.

"Th-they're calling out my name." I realized, a bit shocked. Peeta continued waving until Effie got us up, practically forcing us out of the train and into the warn air of the Capitol. The smell of roses greeted my nose, even though there wasn't a single plant in sight.

People with colored skin and strange outfits cheered us on, a few even trying to grab us. At first, I looked disturbed, but tried to keep on smiling as peacekeepers ushered us along. We were eventually pushed into a giant building with several peacekeepers inside. They kept on pushing us, until we entered a large, silver room. There were 24 stations in the room, each hidden from a side view with a giant plastic curtain. Each station was a few feet apart, and in each station were Capitol people dressed in either white or blue scrubs.

_The remake center, _I realized in fear. Every year, the tributes would get all dressed up and shown together for the first team. And every year, District 12 would look embarrassingly bad. Since you're required to dress up like your district, and young designers get the outer districts, tributes from 12 are usually in a mining suit, or dressed in coal.

A peacekeeper showed me to my station, pushing me into the arms of someone. When I looked up, I was staring into the face of a man with bright orange, corkscrew-curled hair. His lips were bright purple, and when he grinned, a new wave of fear went over me.

"Wow, you're even cuter in person!" He commented, grabbing a small, blue, plastic dress. The dress was short sleeved, and only would go just past my thighs. "Now, take off your dress, please."

My cheeks burned red. "I-I can't..."

"Darling, please, we won't be disgusted by you." A plump woman called out behind him.

"It's not that...I mean...I'm not wearing a...em...b-r-a..." I spelled out, too embarrassed to even say the word.

The man rolled his eyes. "You're 12, sweetie, you don't need one yet..."

Hesitantly, I took the dress off, my arms automatically going over to cover my chest. The man handed me the dress, and I quickly put it on, still blushing. He helped me onto a cold, metal table, and I laid down. A much older woman with aqua hair and gold tattoos above her eyebrows walked over. Her eyes scanned over me, and she smiled.

"Such a young girl, but such bravery!" She commented.

The plump woman giggled. "I'm so glad you volunteered; I mean, your sister was sooo hairy! But you're not! Hey, Venia, what should we do first? Waxing?"  
The aqua haired woman nodded. "Yeah, waxing. Look, this might hurt a bit, but it'll all be worth it in the end..."

I gulped.

. . .

Holding in a whimper, I squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to let the tears spill over. Flavius patted my head(I had learned his name, and the plump woman's), obviously approving of my lack of screams.

"I am SO glad you aren't screaming, I mean, last year's kid screamed like a banshee!" Octavia laughed. I wanted to glare at her, but knew. She had been making all sorts of horrible comments, including insulting Katniss, but I knew that she didn't know any better.

"Just one more..." Venia muttered, and with a loud _riiip!_, she was done. Octavia grabbed my hand, forcing my fingers to spread apart, and Flavius grabbed a comb. "You look perfect." Venia complimented me. My legs throbbed as I saw Venia walk towards a tray of nail paints.

"Cinna wanted...um..looped braids! Right?" Flavius asked, and I realized that was my stylist's name. Venia nodded, grabbing a bright yellow paints.

"I-I'm wearing nail paints?" I was a bit shocked, as I had never worn nail paints before.

"They're called nail polish, sweetie, and yeah, you're wearing them. Octie, this is the shade Cinna wanted." Venia handed the shade to Octavia, who then walked towards me and took a seat in a stool. The next 30 minutes were spent with Octavia painting my nails a bright yellow, and Flavius putting my hair in braids. I could hear yelling from the other side of the room.

"Done!" Flavius cried out, smiling at his work. Octavia had finished my nails a while ago, but Flavius kept on re-doing my braids. "You look human! Isn't that a feat, huh Venia?"

Venia and Octavia nodded eagerly, and Flavius helped me off the table. He guided me into a small, lit up room. On the opposite side was a glass table, with lights underneath it. I laid back down on the table, and Flavius left. Minutes passed on by, before my stylist walked in. I sat up, my legs dangling off the table.

To my relief, he was normal. Completely and utterly normal. He had short black hair, dark eyes, and only a bit of gold eyeliner on. His clothes were dark, and he was dressed very casually. In fact, if it weren't for the eyeliner, I could have mistaken him for a normal person.

"You...look nice." I smiled slightly.

"Thank you," he said, "I'm Cinna and I will be your stylist. I'm very sorry for this to happen to you."

_Did he just apologize? _I thought, bewildered. Everyone else had congratulated me, and yet, here was a Capitol man telling me how sorry he is. Feeling the need to say something back, I replied, "I'm sorry that...you got such a poor district."

Cinna laughed. "I asked for District 12, no need to apologize."

My face turned red. "Oh." I said quietly, looking at the ground. Cinna lifted my chin up, his brown eyes staring into my own.

"I think you'll like your costume." He said, helping me off the table. "If you don't mind, take off your clothes."

Again, I blushed, but took off the plastic dress given to me. For a minute or two, Cinna walked around me, observing me. He finally nodded, and told me to close my eyes.

"Here, come with me. I want to chat." He said, handing me back my dress. I put the dress on quickly, and followed him. Cinna led me into a bright room with two large, red couches and a table in the middle. The windows were huge, overlooking the rest of the Capitol. I took a seat in one couch, and Cinna took a seat in the other. To my surprise, he leans over and presses a small button on the side of the table. I yelped as the top split open, a second tabletop rising up that holds our lunch.

Chunks of chicken and oranges rested on top of a bed of white grain, plump green peas, and onions. To the side, there were two rolls shaped like flowers, and two dishes of pudding the color of honey. My mouth watered as I saw the good.

"This is amazing! What are those grains, though?" I asked, pointing to the white grains. Back at home, the only real grain we had were the poor tessera grains that made a disgusting brown mush.

Cinna chuckled. "It's called rice. Ever heard of it?"

I shook my head. Never in my life had I heard of it. Suddenly, I saw Cinna frowning. He put down his plate, looking right at my hair.

"They changed it." He muttered.

"Um...they said you wanted loop braids...?" I smiled nervously, unsure as to why he was frowning.

Cinna let out a sigh. "I asked them to keep your hair as it was...your braids were so well done, I was hoping to replicate the look. But, the videos will have to do. Tell me, who does your hair?"

"My mother." I replied, my nervousness slowly fading away. I got a plate of the chicken-rice, starting to take small spoonfuls of it. Like all the Capitol food, it tasted delicious. Even mom's cooking couldn't come close to this.

"It's beautiful. Looks absolutely stunning on you. Your mother must have such clever fingers." Cinna commented. He took another bite, before continuing. "Well Primrose, you know what's going to happen next. The chariot rides will be starting soon, and for the past few years, 12 hasn't been making a very good impression."

I nearly giggled a bit when he said 'past few years'. District 12 _never_ got good costumes, not even during Haymitch's games. All of a sudden, a small frown graced my lips.

"I'm not going to be naked, am I?" I asked, remembering last year's tributes. Those poor tributes had been stripped of all their clothes, and covered in coal. I remembered Katniss shielding my eyes from the sight, but I had already seen their costumes by then.

"What? No, of course not. Actually, Portia-Peeta's stylist-and I are going to do something completely different. If you want, you could try it on early..." He trailed off a bit at the end.

"I-I mean, if you don't mind." I smiled sheepishly, and suddenly, Cinna got up and walked behind me. He placed a blindfold over my eyes, and led me back into the changing room. "Are you going to, um...take it off?"

"I want you to be surprised." He said, smiling. I did as he told, and Cinna commanded, "Raise your arms."

Something leathery in texture was slid over me. It was soft, and surprisingly comfortable, despite being a bit snug against me. Cinna helped me into socks and boots, and I heard him mumble.

"You can open your eyes now." He said. I stood there, amazed at my own reflection.

The girl in the mirror he had put in front of me was not me. I was weak, bony, ugly, even. The girl in the mirror looked healthy and pretty. She was everything I wasn't. Finally, I pried my eyes off my face to look more closely at the outfit. It was a fairly simple body suit, made from black leather. Instead of forcing me to have curves or making me look older, the suit made me look innocent. Like I was some sort of angel. At the end of my sleeves were black lace, and my collar was also made of lace.

I smiled. "This is lovely, Cinna."

"It doesn't end there, Primrose." Cinna winked. Smirking, he asked, "Are you afraid of fire?"

. . .

Cinna was insane. There was no way a sane stylist would want to light their tribute on fire. I would rather have the horrible stylist from last year then Cinna. Anyone was better then Cinna.

While he didn't actually demonstrate the fire, Cinna explained that he and Portia had developed a synthetic fire that replicated the look of real fire.

"It's not real flame, remember that, it's just a little synthetic fire Portia and I came up with. You'll be perfectly safe." Cinna assured me for the hundredth time. My nerves were still not calmed.

Currently, Peeta and I were in the bottom level of the remake center. It was like a giant stable, with 12 large chariots, each with two horses attached to them. The horses were so well trained, they didn't even need a driver to guide them down the streets. Both Peeta and my own prep teams were down with us, along with Portia and Cinna.

Portia was squealing over what an 'impact' we'll make. "Why, you'll change District 12 fashion forever!" She exclaimed, clearly excited, and Peeta's prep team nodded in excitement.

Cinna didn't seem quite as excited. In fact, he seemed a bit weary.

"Are you okay, Cinna?" I asked, concerned with his behavior.

"What? Oh, no, I'm fine. Just the excitement." He smiled, but I could tell something was wrong.

I sighed, starting to play with the cape Cinna had tied around me. Along with the black suit, I was wearing a long, flowing cape made of red, orange, and yellow fabrics, and a matching headdress. Peeta wore the same thing, only his jumpsuit had no lace on it.

Portia motioned to a chariot with coal-black horses. Getting what she meant, our little group walked over to the chariot. Cinna helps me onto the chariot, while Peeta was easily able to get onto it. While Cinna and Portia chatted, we made small-talk of our own.

"Nervous?" I whispered, looking at all the other tributes. District 2's tributes are dressed like ancient warriors, ready to kill to survive. In District 4, the two are dressed as some sort of sea gods, with large, jewel crowns.

"Look, if you rip off my cape, I'll rip off yours." He whispered back. I giggled a bit, and for just the briefest second or so, my nervousness vanished.

"Deal." I whispered back. I remembered how one year, a stylist accidentally broke their tribute's foot. The poor girl had to go into the games into a cast, and the careers were easily able to kill her off. So I doubt they would care if Peeta and I had even the most severe burns.

There was a pause, before suddenly, the opening music began. My eyes widened, my breath quickening.

_This is it, _I thought, _This is the moment that will either kill me or make me a star. _

The ride lasted twenty minutes. Twenty minutes for me to be burning, screaming in pain, as fire surrounded me.

_Don't think like that, you'll be fine..._I tried to assure myself. Peeta and I waited in silence as one by one, the chariots rolled out. Finally, District 11's chariot rolled out. Before I could stop him, Cinna lit a tourch, and touched our backs. I braced myself for a world of pain, but nothing happened. All I felt was a small tickle against my neck and back.

"Good, it works." Cinna sighed in relief. He smiled at me, and said, "Remember, heads high! They'll love you!"

As we rolled out, I felt dizzy suddenly, and trying to stop myself from falling(and being a complete embarasment), I grasped Peeta's hand tightly. He looked a bit surprised, but didn't let go. I smiled widely, waving at the shocked crowd.

At first, there was a silence. I was nervous that they didn't like our costumes. What if Cinna was wrong?

And then came the applause. People cheered, clapping wildly, screaming out our names. Chants of "PRIMROSE!" and "PEETA!" filled the streets, flowers of all kinds being flung at us. I caught one and smiled gratfully, blowing a kiss into the audience.

Hands shot up into the air, trying to catch the kiss like it was real. I would have laughed, if I hadn't been so focused on trying to keep my smile on. The ride continued, and the horses stopped when we got to the City Circle.

President Snow himself stepped onto the stage, his lips pulled into a thin frown. His white hair was combed back, his eyes narrowed down on us tributes. He gave the usual speech about how 'brave' we were, and quickly, the horses trotted back into the remake center stable. Our prep teams surrounded us, congratulating us on a job well done.

"You were great!" Portia cried, spraying our backs with some sort of liquid in a can, and the flames dissapeared. Effie giggled, clapping her hands for us. While the two teams continued to congratulate us, I noticed someone staring.

The pair from District 2 were glaring right at us, their eyes narrowed. Cinna noticed, helping me climb off the chariot.

"Let's get going." He said, trying to ignore the stares that burned into us. Effie, Cinna, Portia, Peeta and I walked into an elevator, going up to the District 12 room. I loved going up the fast thing, and if I hadn't been so tired, I would have asked to go up again.

After a quick change in clothes, I was now dressed in a flowing blue dress with sleeve straps. It was the most confortable dress I'd worn in my life. I walked out to go to dinner, which was an amazing meal of cooked beef covered in rich, creamy pepper sauce. To the side were tiny vegetables bathed in butter. Everyone at the table made small talk, Haymitch finally decided to make an apperance. His hand was wrapped around a beer bottle, his eyes bloodshot.

"Ya did good, kiddos..." He slurred.

When dinner was done, the food was taken away by silent people dressed in red costumes. A girl with firey red hair brought a giant chocolate cake up to display. She lit it, and I smiled.

"This is a really nice cake. Did you make it?" I asked.

The whole table went silent.

_**A.N/ **_**I know this is a very description-heavy chapter, but I'm trying to write the story like the books never existed. Like what would happen if the story really was told through Prim's eyes. Also, sorry for any errors. Anyways, review, review, review! ...Please? ;^;**

_**Disclaimer: If I owned the HG, things would be...different. So do you REALLY think I wrote them?**_


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